Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is second largest city in the state. The largest city, Des Moines, lies 100 miles to the west of Cedar Rapids. The community of 130,000 is fairly unique in that it maintains its municipal offices on an island.

History

Long ago, the region was home to the Sac and Fox Native Americans. The first settler of European descent was Osgood Shepherd, who came here in 1838. The large quantity of red cedar trees growing along the banks of the river resulted in the waterway being named the Cedar River. The river rapids inspired the community name of Cedar Rapids. It was incorporated in 1849. In 1871, the opening of a meat packing company was a boon to the economy.

Parks and Recreation

The city has over 3,300 acres of parks and green space. The 74 parks include baseball diamonds, softball fields, basketball courts, sand volleyball and a large soccer complex. There are also two disc golf courses in the city and a BMX dirt bike track. The kids can enjoy a total of 10 splash pads at the parks. Finally, there are 24 miles of hiking and biking trails. Old MacDonald's Farm is a children's petting zoo.

Attractions and Activities

Lovers of the arts that own Cedar Rapids IA homes can attend events at numerous venues like Brucemore, the Paramount Theatre, and Theatre Cedar Rapids. Museums include the Czech and Slovak Museum, the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art and the African American Historical Museum. Local native Grant Wood is honored at the Grant Wood Studio, and the art museum holds the most substantial collection of Grant Wood's works in the world. The Paramount Theatre was first built in the 1920s, and it has been meticulously restored. It is the home of the Cedar Rapids Area Theatre Organ Society and Orchestra Iowa.

Events

The Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival begins in mid-June, and it culminates in a major Fourth of July celebration. Every year, about 400,000 people attend the event. Many come back multiple times for the live music, varied food and drink and artisans' exhibits.

Cedar Rapids has received a "Best in Iowa" award for first-time home buyers. There is a wide selection of Cedar Rapids homes for sale that are priced at under $100,000. Many of these affordable examples of Cedar Rapids real estate feature 1,000 to 1,500 sq-ft of living space. There are also modest-priced condominium homes for sale in Cedar Rapids.

The discriminating Cedar Rapids home buyer will also find appropriate Cedar Rapids IA real estate for sale. Some newer, all-brick Cedar Rapids properties feature multi-car garages, deluxe kitchens, spacious master bedrooms and home theaters. The Mottinger Real Estate Group can help a potential buyer to sort through the thousand or more examples of residential real estate in Cedar Rapids that are on the market. We can make your search far more focused and efficient.